Quilting-frame.



L. A. SMITH.

QUILTING FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1908.

Pat'ented June 151909.

r I O awe nin a LABEN A. SMITH, OF GASTONIA, NORTH CAROLINA.

QUILTING-FRAIVIE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 15, 1909.

Application filed July 29, 1908. Serial No. 415,026.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, LABEN A. Srnrn, a citizen of the Unite/(i States,residing at Gastonia, in the county of Gaston and State of NorthCarolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Quiltin.g-Frames,of which the following is a spccili *ation.

This invention relates to quilting frames and has for its object toprovide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this characteradapted to be suspended from a track or other over-head support and bymeans of which a quilt may be conveniently supported in position to beoperated upon by a sewing-machine.

A further object is to provide an improved form of track for suspendingthe quilting frame from a ceiling or other support, said track includingterminal heads connected by spaced rods upon which are mounted fortravel the wheels or rollers of the quilting frame carriage.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices, so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minordetails of construction may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a quilting frame constructed inaccordance with my invention, showing the manner of suspending the samefrom a ceiling or other support. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectionalview of one end of the quilting frame.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved quilting frame forming the subject matter of the presentinvention includes an over-head track comprising terminal substantiallytri-angular shaped heads 5 formed of wood or other suitable material andhaving longitudinally disposed grooves 6 formed in their upper faces forthe reception of a connecting bar or strip 7, there being perforationsformed in the strip 7 and the adjacent heads 5 for the reception ofbolts or similar fastening devices 8 which screw into the ceiling orother support and serve to anchor the track thereon.

One or more brackets 9 are preferably secured to the upper surface ofthe longitudinal connecting bar 7 and provided with diverging armsterminating in laterally extending perforated ears 10 adapted to receivesuitable fastening devices and thus assist in suspending the track fromthe ceiling.

Disposed on opposite sides of the connecting strip 7 are longitudinalrods 11 having their opposite ends threaded and extended throughsuitlile openings 12 formed in the adjacent heads for engagement withclamping nuts 13 so that by rotating the nuts 13, the tension of therods may be regulated at will. The rods 11 constitute a track upon whichis mounted for travel a carriage 14. The carriage 1 1 comprises one ormore transverse bars united by a longitudinal connecting bar 15 and tothe opposite ends of which are riveted, soldered or otherwise rigidlysecured supports 16 in which are journaled wheels or rollers 18 forengagement with the rods 11.

Suspended from the carriage 1 1 is the quilting frame proper, the latterbeing substantially rectangular in shape and formed of spaced end bars19 and 20 connected by longitudinally disposed rollers 21, the latterbeing provided with a series of impaling hooks 22 for engagement withthe quilt or other work being operated upon, The ends of the rollers 21at the end-piece 20 are reduced to form cylindrical bearings 23 whichengage corresponding bearings formed in said. endpiece, while theterminals of the rollers at the end-piece 19 are provided with squaredportions 24 for engagement with correspondingly squared sockets 25 insaid end-piece, the squared portions 24 being provided with reducedcylindrical portions 26 which normally project beyond the outer face ofthe end-piece 19, as shown. Thus it will be seen that by movin theend-piece 19 laterally on to the cylindrical portions 26 of the bars 21either bar may be rotated to wind the quilt on said bars and thuspresent a fresh surface to the needle, said bars 21 being locked againstaccidental rotation by moving the end-piece 19 into engagement with thesquaredportions 24 of the rollers.

The quilting frame is suspended from the carriage by means of divergingrods 27 having their upper ends provided with terminal hooks 28 whichengage suitable eyes 29 carried by the transverse bars of the carriage,while the lower ends of said bars are extended to the opposite ends ofthe end-pieces 19 and Z0 and provided With similar hooks 3O arranged toengage loops or eyes 31 secured in any suitable manner to the upperlongitudinal edges of said end-pieces. Thus it Wlll be seen that bymoving the carriage 14 longitudinally of the over-head track or support,the quilt may be positioned beneath the embroidering needle of a sewingmachine, While, by rotating either of the cylinders or rollers 21, thequilt may be Wound upon said rollers so as to present a fresh surface tothe needle and thus permit the entire surface of a quilt to be operatedupon Without removing the latter from the quilting frame.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed is 1. In a quiltinglrame, an over-head track comprising terminal heads havinglongitudinally alined grooves formed in their upper surfaces, alongitudinal bar seated in said grooves and connecting the heads,fastening devices extending through the heads and bar at said groovesfor engagement with a ceiling or other support, brackets secured to thelongitudinal bar between the heads for attachment to the ceiling, rodsdisposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal bar and having theirterminal portions extending through the adjacent heads and provided Withthreads, a carriage mounted for travel on the rods, a frame suspendedfrom the carriage, and clamping nuts engaging the threaded ends of therods and bearing against the adjacent longitudinal edges of the headsfor adjusting the tension 01 said rods.

2. In a quilting lrame, an over-head track comprising terminal headssubstantially triangular in contour and having their upper surfacesprovided With longitudinally disposed grooves and their opposite sidesformed With openings, a longitudinal bar seated in the grooves of theheads, l'astening devices passing through said heads and longitudinalbar l'or engagement with a ceiling or other support, brackets secured tothe upper surface of the longitudinal bar between the terminal heads andprovided With laterally extending perl'orated ears adapted to bearagainst the ceiling, spaced rods disposed on opposite sides of thelongitudinal bar and having their opposite ends threaded and extendedthrough the openings in the adjacent heads, a carriage mounted fortravel on the rods, a frame suspended from the carriage, and clampingnuts engaging the threaded ends of the rods and bearing against the adjacent heads for regulating the tension of the rods.

3. In a quilting l'rame, an over-head track, a carriage mounted fortravel on said track and provided With spaced eyes, a frame disposedbeneath the carriage and including spaced end-pieces having eyes securedto their upper longitudinal edges, one of said end pieces being formedWith squared sockets and the other With cylindrical sockets, rollersconnecting the endpieces and each having one end thereof provided with acylindrical portion arranged to enter the cylindrical socket in theadjacent end-piece, the opposite end of each roller being provided Witha squared portion adapted to enter the squared socket in the oppositeend-piece ol' the quilting frame and provided With a reduced cylindricalextension, and rods provided With terminal hooks arranged to engage theeyes on the carriage and end-pieces respectively.

LABEN A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

W. R. CRAIG, W. L. SMITH.

